Method and device for managing licenses in an industrial automation system

Abstract

A method for managing functionality licenses in a closed network is disclosed, wherein at least one subscriber device is connected to the closed network. The method includes operating a server having a license database, wherein the license database includes a plurality of functionality licenses and each functionality license includes a functionality identifier. When the server receives a license request from the at least one subscriber device, the license request including a further functionality identifier, the server compares the further functionality identifier to the functionality identifiers in the license database and assigns a functionality license of the database, which includes a functionality identifier that matches the further functionality identifier to the subscriber device from which the license request was received. Assigning entails storing of the at least one subscriber device from which the license request was received at the server as a licensed subscriber device in the license database.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for managing functionality licenses in a closed network of an industrial automation system, wherein the closed network includes a server and at least one subscriber device being connected via the closed network to the server, the at least one subscriber device being configured to establish a connection to a sensor and/or an actuator in a field level, the method comprising:
 operating the server including a license database, wherein the license database includes a plurality of the functionality licenses, wherein each functionality license of the plurality of the functionality licenses includes a functionality identifier; 
 receiving a license request at the server from the at least one subscriber device, wherein the license request includes a further functionality identifier; 
 comparing the further functionality identifier to the functionality identifiers in the license database; and 
 assigning a functionality license of the database which comprises a functionality identifier that matches to the further functionality identifier to the subscriber device from which the license request was received at the server, 
 wherein the assigning includes storing of the at least one subscriber device from which the license request was received at the server as a licensed subscriber device in the license database. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 scanning the closed network to verify if the at least one subscriber device from which the license request was received at the server is still connected to the closed network; and 
 if the scanning yields that the at least one subscriber device from which the license request was received at the server is no longer connected to the closed network, deleting the at least one subscriber device from which the license request was received at the server as the licensed subscriber device from the license database. 
 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 querying the at least one subscriber device to determine functionality licenses assigned in the closed network; 
 comparing the functionality licenses assigned in the closed network with the plurality of functionality licenses in the license database to determine if at least one of the queried functionality licenses is not in the license database; and 
 adding the determined at least one of the queried functionality licenses that is not in the license database to the license database. 
 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 returning the assigned functionality license to the server by the at least one subscriber device; and 
 in response to receiving the returned assigned functionality license at the server, deleting the subscriber device as the licensed subscriber device from the license database. 
 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sending an error message from the server to the at least one subscriber device from which the license request was received at the server, if no functionality identifier in the license database matches the further functionality identifier. 
 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 contacting an external license database via a network separate from the closed network to add a functionality license to the license database if no functionality identifier in the license database matches the further functionality identifier, wherein the added functionality license includes a functionality identifier that matches the further functionality identifier. 
 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 one, some or all of the functionality licenses include a device class identifier and/or a licensee identifier, and/or 
 the functionality identifier indicates a logic function of a subscriber device and/or a function of an I/O interface of the at least one subscriber device. 
 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein one, some or all of the functionality licenses includes a licensed parameterization of the at least one subscriber device, and wherein the further functionality identifier includes a parameterization that has been assigned to the at least one subscriber device by a programmable logic controller of the closed network. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising initializing the license database by:
 querying the at least one subscriber device to determine the functionality licenses assigned in the closed network; and 
 adding the functionality licenses assigned in the closed network to the license database. 
 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising initializing the license database by contacting an external license database over a network separate from the closed network, such that the plurality of functionality licenses is transferred from the external license database to the license database. 
     
     
       11. A device comprising:
 at least one communication interface coupled to a closed network; 
 a memory configured to store a license database and program instructions performing the method of  claim 1 ; and 
 a processor configured to execute the program instructions stored in the memory.